CAPA Florence: Study & Intern Abroad

Though it's been a few years since I studied abroad, I still frequently think about my experience on the CAPA Florence Program and how much I grew during my time overseas. This program offers so many interesting courses, along with plenty of extracurricular activities to get out and explore the city. The CAPA Florence staff members are some of the friendliest, warmest, and most caring people I have ever met and were ALWAYS there for support. I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to participate in this program!

Florence with CAPA is a once in a lifetime experience! In my four weeks there, I swear I saw the entire city! Even classes at CAPA were something to look forward to, the school itself is beautiful, and in a prime location. I can't imagine what Florence would have been like without CAPA. The staff was amazing when it came to any type of issue. Whether it had to do with housing, school, where to eat, or how things work in Italy, the people at CAPA were more than willing to help. It was the best trip of my life!

Personally, I believe that Italy is arguably the most beautiful country in the world just within its borders one can find countless beaches, beautiful Tuscan hills, stunning mountain ranges, and everything in between. That being said, spending 3 months abroad in Florence, Italy was one of the best experiences of my life, if not the best. Every day and night there was always something to do and see such as hiking on beautiful trails, trying fantastic new foods, going dancing with your friends, and just walking around the beautiful city of Florence was enough to do. Along with the things that the city has to offer, taking classes about the literature of Italy, including things like Dante's Inferno and then being able to go to the very place he wrote his book was truly surreal. Then after class I was easily able to travel on weekends by booking a train ticket to many places in Italy such as Venice, Rome, and Cinque Terre. After a few months of living abroad, you begin to consider Italy your second home.

Studying abroad while in school saves you the hassle of planning a trip and worrying about the expenses, travel, stay and safety. The CAPA staff were friendly, compassionate, helpful and overall fun to work with. Studying abroad was the highlight of my summer and I would recommend anyone and everyone to pursue an education abroad especially through CAPA.

All though most of the expenses are taken care of while you are abroad, you still have to be financially responsible ensure that you have some money for personal expenses and souvenirs. Make a budget sheet and stick to it. Do not overspend, and make sure to say no to friends about a night out or a trip if you cannot afford it. It is easy to be caught up in a lot of activities that can make you fall short financially.
Make sure to build networks even if it is for a short period of time, and seek out local friends to practice the language of the country you visit.

I would recommend CAPA because it provided me with a life changing experience. I know there are a lot of other institutes that offer similar programs but at CAPA, the students always come first. A representative met us at the airport and helped us get home from it as well. They care about safety and provide so much knowledge about each global city they represent. The were many way to get involved in the culture as well including outreach and other classes a well such as teaching english to italian children and a pasta making course. Lastly, A lot of credit goes to the staff because no matter what, and I emphasize this again, they are here for you, and they always put a smile on their face and make sure you are getting the best experience while studying abroad.

As my adventure in Italy quickly came to an end, I reflect on all it has taught me over the course of these last two weeks - not just academically but personally as well. Picking one experience in particular, I choose to focus in greater detail on a conversation I had with one of my CAPA professors only a few days ago. Our conversation took place over an assignment I was having difficulties submitting, and my professor stopped me mid stressfilled sentence, and said the wisest thing to me that I had heard in awhile. He said, “In America, your culture supports a life of stress and it’s pointless when nine out of ten times, your situation will stay exactly the same”. This simple statement not only forced me to reflect on American culture but my own life in particular. It was true what he said, American culture is one that could turn stress into a lifestyle for an average citizen. We see examples of this with citizens working two and three jobs to keep up with the cost of living. Students are raising their blood pressure levels to get into good colleges, and the entire country is sitting on the edge of their seats with rapid shifts in our economy. Taking this all in, I came to the realization that I personally was not living as “stress-free and unbothered” as I had set out to be. The simplicity of my professor’s statement changed my outlook on life for the better. It taught me that life is only a moment and yet so much bigger than such at the same time. That granted, life in one specific moment is indeed our reality but once the moment has passed a new one has been created. We spend so much time prolonging these past moments or anticipating one yet to come that we miss out on so many of the new ones created in the process. This experience in particular reminded me to let go of what I had no control over, to do what I could when I could do it, but also to enjoy each moment as they are created because they will past. As the Italians say in their culture “La semplicità è l’ultimo sofisticazione” - Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.

The moments I experienced whilst abroad are ones I would have never imagined happening but the ones I will never forget. There is something enlightening yet maturing about studying in a foreign country. Things will happen to you that are usually solved by your parents but you are forced to solve on your own. It is scary at first but once the moments over and you realize you can survive something unsurvivable, you will never be the same. Also The CAPA faculty and staff properly helped prepare me for what to actually expect when I stepped foot in Firenze. They helped shape my expectations to make ensure my time abroad was enjoyable. CAPA also provided ample opportunities for further immersion in Italian culture for little to no out of pocket cost with all. I had an amazing time abroad, I was not able to travel to every place I wanted to but I figured that getting to some places, enjoying the moments there and interacting with new people was better than travelling everywhere for glimpses at a time. If I could recommend any place to study abroad I absolutely recommend Firenze.

I was apart of a faculty lead program that was hosted by CAPA. CAPA allowed us to use their space, set up housing for us and took us to My Global City events and excursions outside Florence. We were able to meet a lot, if not all, of the CAPA Florence staff who were extremely helpful when it came to recommending places to eat, have fun and site see. They gave us a tour of the city and a training session that taught us what to look out for in terms of safety. Everyone was very nice, the facility was beautiful and the excursions to other cities was so much fun. I gained a lot of knowledge and saw so much of Florence I probably wouldn't have seen without CAPA's help. Our housing was very nice. It was an apartment on the quieter side of the Arno River and it had very nice amenities such as a full kitchen, a TV, wifi and cooking appliances.